Whether running a six-figure bluff on the Hustler Casino Live stream or stacking off on the Big Game felt, Alan Keating is consistently one of the most entertaining poker players to watch.
The high-stakes cash game specialist confirmed for Season 2 of PokerStars The Big Game on Tour, so expect to see him mixing it up during filming at the North American Poker Tour (NAPT) Las Vegas festival running Nov. 1-10.
With the filming of Season 2 just a week away, here’s a look at some of Keating’s biggest moments from the first season.
The Big Game on Tour Returns to NAPT!
Keating Cracks Hellmuth’s Aces With Ten-Deuce
During Episode 4, Keating played a memorable pot where he cracked Phil Hellmuth’s aces with the Doyle Brunson.
The single-raised four-way pot saw a flop of 2♣2♦7♠, smacking Keating with 10♦2♥ and leaving Hellmuth with just 6% equity with A♠A♥.
Each player called a flop bet and Jennifer Tilly took the betting lead on the K♥ river with 7♦5♥. Keating raised to $14,000 as Lex Veldhuis folded his 6♦5♦. Hellmuth folded his aces and Tilly also folded.
Six-Figure Bluff With King-High
Later in the episode, Keating ran a six-figure bluff in a big pot against Tilly.
The three-bet pot saw Arden Cho A♣K♣, Keating K♦10♠ and Tilly Q♥J♣ reach a flop of 9♦J♥3♥. Action checked to Tilly and she bet $6,000 with her top pair and backdoor flush draw. Keating check-raised to $24,000 with a gunshot and Cho got out of the way as the Chucky actress called.
Keating bet $35,000 as the 8♥ turn improved him to an open-ended draw and Tilly wasn’t going anywhere with her queen-high flush draw. The 2♥ river completed her flush and Keating pulled the trigger by betting $82,000 with just king-high.
The two bantered back and forth and Tilly sipped her tea before closing her eyes and pushing in a handful of chips. Keating told her she won and she scooped the nearly $300,000 pot.
Cho Three-Bets With Queens Full
Earlier in Episode 4, Keating battled with Teen Wolf star Arden Cho in a hand where Keating three-bet with K♣10♥ as Cho smooth-called with Q♠Q♥.
The action slowed down from there as both players checked on the A♣A♠7♣ flop and again on the J♦ turn. But the Q♣ river got things going as Cho made queens full and Keating backed into Broadway.
Cho bet $5,000 into the $6,300 pot and Keating quickly raised to $22,000. Cho wasted no time three-betting to $65,200 to put Keating in a difficult spot on the paired board. Keating made the right decision and folded and Cho tossed her hand face-down in the muck.
Cho Bluffs Keating
Keating and Cho also battled in Episode 2 as the two got to a turn on a board of A♦4♥5♣Q♦ with Cho holding A♣3♣ to have her top pair pipped by the A♠10♦ of Keating.
Keating bet $10,000 on the turn and Cho check-raised to $30,000 with her top pair and flush draw. Keating called and Cho moved all in for $71,400 on the brick 6♠ river.
Keating thought about calling the pot-sized river jam as Cho showed him the 3♣. He must’ve put her on a straight because he folded the winning hand before she revealed the A♣ to bring laughs from the table.
Keating Three-Bets Into a Full House
In the first episode, Keating clashed with Tilly in a pot that stayed small until the river.
On the board of 5♠5♦4♣K♦Q♦, Keating held A♣J♦ for just ace-high as Tilly had 4♦4♥ for fours full of fives.
Tilly checked on the river as Keating bet $10,000 into the pot of $14,500. Tilly check-raised to $20,000 and Keating responded by three-betting $80,000 with pure air. Tilly called and Keating saw the bad news.
Going Runner-Runner on Veldhuis
In Episode 2, Keating put a tough beat on PokerStars Team Pro Lex Veldhuis, who got his $55,700 in the middle preflop with K♦K♥ to be far in front of Keating’s A♦Q♦.
The flop of 9♦9♥10♣ changed little, but the J♠ turn gave Keating an open-ended straight draw before the 8♣ river crushed Veldhuis’ dreams of doubling up to a six-figure stack.
“Go buy a lottery ticket,” Cho told Keating. “Alan is so lucky.”
Keating will surely bring bluffs and big pots to Season 2, so stay tuned for the upcoming season of PokerStars The Big Game on Tour.
Editor & Live Reporter U.S.
